On August 10-11, Ushuaia hosted a mental health training course for health professionals from all over the Province of Tierra del Fuego working at different care levels.The provincial Secretary of Mental Health and Addictions, Jorge Rosetto, and the Minister Head of Cabinet, Leonardo Gorbacz, attended the event.
With the support of the Pan American Health Organization, the training in the use of the World Health Organization (WHO) mhGap Intervention Guide was delivered by two professionals from the team led by PAHO/WHO consultant, Dra. Silvia Bentolila.
Secretary Rosetto commented that their objective was to create a group of trainers who would in turn transfer their knowledge to all provincial Primary Health Care Centers (CAPS, for its acronym in Spanish), whose teams lack specialization in mental health.Minister Gorbacz stressed that the training was aimed at all health professionals to improve accessibility for those who need mental health care by involving more actors and strengthening networking.He said that psychologists and psychiatrists are not enough to address the problem and that all health workers must have tools for improving the mental health response.
Gorbacz also stated that substance use and high suicide rates in Tierra del Fuego are matters of concern to Governor Rosana Bertone and the community as a whole, and should be faced with serious and sustained policies.
All attendees showed great interest and actively participated in the training.
